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Author : ALE

This guide will give to contracting owners some recommendations for the implantation of wood fuel boilers in dense urban areas.

Wood energy is a renewable energy with a significant development potential. Currently, it is mostly present in individual housing and industry sectors, and mainly in rural and peri-urban areas. It has thus yet to be further developed for use in district heating in the collective housing and tertiary sectors, in dense urban areas mainly: schools, public swimming pools, social housing, hospitals... Indeed, these types of buildings require large amounts of heating, and are thus very relevant targets for the development of wood energy use.

Specificities of a dense urban context, such as the density of population and buildings, mean that there are economies of scale and a durability of the heating demand in a wood district heating plant project. It also means, however, that noise from the plant (including its installation and deliveries) is a bigger issue in this context (and air quality). Also, the lack of proximity to direct forest resources means that a careful fuel supply strategy must be devised. Globally, district heating is in any case a key element in the design of new neighbourhoods and the rehabilitation of old ones.